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Ryan Clark Officially Retires, Joins ESPN as NFL Analyst

Ryan Clark, the 13-year NFL safety and Super Bowl champion, announced on ESPN’s NFL Live today that he has retired from football and is joining ESPN as an NFL analyst.

Clark made regular ESPN guest analyst appearances the past two years as an active player, most recently at Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona. He will begin his new role in March, appearing on NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio shows and more as part of a multi-year agreement.

Clark’s career spanned 13 NFL seasons (2002-14) and included a Super Bowl XLIII title and two AFC Championships. He played a majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2006-13), two years with the New York Giants (2002-03) and two stints with the Washington Redskins (2004-05 and 2014).

Clark played in 177 NFL games with 16 interceptions over the course of his career. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2011 and recorded 100 tackles in each of the last four seasons (2011-14).

“It’s no secret Ryan has been on our radar for several years now and he’s as ready for this opportunity as anyone who’s joined our ESPN team,” said Seth Markman, senior coordinating producer for ESPN’s NFL studio shows. “Ryan has conviction, passion and a tremendous knowledge of the game. We expect more great work from him, now as a full-time analyst.”

Clark added, “It was a blessing, honor and pleasure to play the game I loved for as long as I did. I am truly grateful to God, my wife, kids, family and friends for all of their love and support throughout my career. It was time for that chapter of life to close. I am so excited to open the next chapter working with ESPN. I will approach my new career just as I approached my last. I hope to bring hard work, excitement, and fun every chance I get! It’s a great day to be alive!”

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